Human Rights Watch (HRW) has charged in a report that Iraqi authorities are turning a blind eye to a systematic campaign of violence against gay men that has spread from Baghdad to several other cities: here.

Wednesday’s bombings against key government buildings in the centre of Baghdad have dealt a significant blow to the claims of both the Obama administration and the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that the country has been pacified and secured by the US military “surge” in 2007 and 2008: here.

The official newspaper for the Armed Forces has caught Pentagon officials spreading disinformation regarding reports on how they have allowed a private contractor to rate and profile embedded journalists: here.

The Pentagon hired a controversial contractor to screen journalists seeking to embed with U.S. forces: here. See also here.

Iraq: A US investigation into the death of a soldier from Ohio deployed in Iraq has revealed cruelty and maltreatment by other troops, the military admitted at the weekend.

Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Olson said a probe into the August 4 death of Private Keiffer Wilhelm had uncovered abuse.

Four soldiers have been charged with cruelty and maltreatment of colleagues, but Lt Col Olson said there was no direct evidence that the soldiers’ alleged misconduct had caused Private Wilhelm’s death.